UNDP in Moldova

EU and UNDP officials visit the EU-funded projects in the Transnistrian region

21 Nov 2013

The Rehabilitation Center for Youth with Disabilities in Tiraspol, visited by EU and UNDP representatives, conducted a life skills training project for 50 young people with mental and physical disabilities. Photo: UNDP

The representatives of the European Union and United Nations Development Programme visited today the Rehabilitation Center for Youth with Disabilities (OSORT) from Tiraspol, the kindergarten and the school from Ternauca village - entities carrying out projects with European money within the EU-UNDP Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme. The delegation headed by Remi Duflot, European Commission Counsellor, got familiarized with the activities carried out in the Transnistrian Region and discussed with projects’ beneficiaries.

Already for half a year, the Rehabilitation Center for Youth with Disabilities from Tiraspol, in partnership with two nongovernmental organizations from Balti, is implementing a project for independent life skills’ development for 50 young people with mental and physical disabilities. Ludmila Borodina, Director of the OSORT Center, has mentioned that a number of interactive and practical activities were organized within this partnership, as a result of which the young people have learned to cook, to take care of themselves independently, to sew, and to make different things with their own hands. “Due to the financial support provided by the EU-UNDP Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme and based on the good practices taken on from the right side of the Nistru River, we will organize during the next half of the year some campaigns in order to raise awareness regarding the needs of the people with disabilities and the possibility to integrate them in the society”, said Ludmila Borodina.

The school from Ternauca village is one of the 20 educational institutions from the both sides of the River Nistru, which is using a new methodology for preventing children abuse and negligence, based on games and interactive activities, also called game library. Hence, with the financial support of the EU-UNDP Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme, the school has equipped a special children-friendly space, endowed with toys and books, where children may communicate with their peers, develop friendship relations with adults. The experience gained during the implementation of this project will serve for extending subsequently game libraries in other localities from the both banks of the Nistru River.

Also with the support of the EU-UNDP Programme, the kindergarten from Ternauca was renovated this year. Although the institution functions already for 40 years with no interruptions, it was never subject to capital repairing works. With a budget of 125,764 Euro, of which 15 thousand Euro were provided by the community, the preschool institution has passed through a radical transformation over several months. Due to the renovation works the education and care conditions for160 children were improved and two additional groups for 40 children were opened.

A number of 40 social infrastructure renovation projects are being implemented within the EU-UNDP Programme, contributing directly to improving the quality of life for over 120 thousand people from the both sides of the River Nistru. Only during the last year, six social institutions were renovated in the Transnistrian region, including the kindergartens from TIbuleuca and Ternauca localities, sport centers from Grigoriopol town and Parcani commune, and a canteen from the pupils attending the school in Butor village was rebuilt from scratch.

From 2012, 30 joint initiatives of the civil society from both banks of the Nistru River have benefited already from the EU-UNDP Programme, of which 18 projects are still on-going. These projects come up with joint solutions for the problems encountered by the people from the both banks of the river in the following areas: access to qualitative social services, art and culture, integration of persons with disability in the society, sustainable development of rural localities, promotion of children’s rights, support provided to youth and women in their professional development.

The EU-UNDP Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme contributes to promoting confidence between the both sides of the Nistru River, by involving local authorities, civil society, business communities, and other stakeholders interested in economic and social development of their local communities. The Program implements activities in five basic areas: business development, civil society, social infrastructure renovation through local development, health, and environment.

The Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme is implemented by UNDP Moldova during 2012-2015, with a total budget of 10.6 million Euro, provided by the European Union (9.5 million Euro) and UNDP (1.1 million Euro).